


Can We Keep him?

by snarkymuch



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Morgan Stark is precious, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Tony Stark Lives, peter parker is a good brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23805286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkymuch/pseuds/snarkymuch
Summary: Written for the Friendly Neighborhood Fic Exchange.Prompt: Tony didn't die in Endgame, so he introduces Peter to Morgan as her big brother.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 33
Kudos: 372
Collections: The Friendly Neighborhood Exchange





	Can We Keep him?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TalkShippingtoMe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalkShippingtoMe/gifts).



> This was really fun to write. It did get a little angsty, but I hope you all still like it.

Peter watched with teary eyes as Tony was carried through a portal to Wakanda. Pepper followed him. Peter fell to his knees and let out a heavy breath, dropping his head and resting his chin on his chest. The air smelled bitter, like charred flesh and smoke. He counted his breaths, trying to calm himself. A hand rested on his shoulder, and he lifted his head to look. War Machine—Rhodey—was looking down at him with sympathetic eyes.

“We won, kid. You did good, and Tony—Tony’s gonna be okay,” Rhodey said. “If there’s one thing I know about him, it's that he's damn hard to shake. This Thanos thing, it’s nowhere near enough to chase him off.”

Peter tried to smile, but he only managed to make his lips twitch. Rhodey extended a hand, and Peter took it, letting the man pull him to his feet.

“Come on, kid, let’s get you cleaned up.”

* * *

Time passed in a blur over the next few days. The world was in chaos, but Peter had May to ground him, and the knowledge that Tony was going to be okay. Happy had said he’d lost an arm, but he would survive. Rhodey was right. Thanos wasn’t enough to end Tony’s life.

His phone had been disconnected, but May had kept it and turned it back on for him. He sat on his bed, fingering the cracked screen, wondering who he should call first. Ned seemed like the obvious choice, but he really hoped to hear from Tony.

Maybe the fates were listening because no sooner than he thought of his mentor, did the phone come to life, the familiar picture of him and Tony lighting up the screen. He fumbled the phone as he tried to answer, swiping the screen to the side.

He brought the phone to his ear, sucking a breath. His heart was hammering, and his breath hitched when he heard Tony’s voice greeting him.

“Hey, kid,” Tony said, then paused. Peter held his breath. “How’re you doing?”

Peter choked on a sob, overwhelmed by the emotions bubbling up in him. It was only days ago that he’d thought he’d heard Tony’s voice for the last time.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, kid. Don’t—you don’t need to cry. We won. We did it, Peter. Really, those better be happy tears.”

Peter swiped at his tears. “I’m not crying—it’s just … I thought I’d lost you, too. Just like I lost everyone else.” He paused to catch his breath, sniffling a little. “Are you okay? Your arm was—the stones, they hurt you.”

An acrid smell seemed to gather in his nose again, even though the battle was days ago. He could taste the air, the bitterness of burning flesh. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus on the present, on his room, on the way the mattress felt beneath him. He focused on the sounds of traffic and the insistent honking of a car alarm nearby. He barely registered Tony’s voice through the phone.

“Peter, you need to breathe, kid. I don’t want to even think what this must be like for you. Kids shouldn’t be part of the battlefield, and I’m sorry you got dragged into it. I’m sorry you had to see me like that, but kid, I’m okay. Yeah, I lost an arm, but it could have been so much worse. I’m still here, and so are you. That’s all that matters.”

Peter found himself nodding even though Tony could see. He used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his face, but the tears kept coming.

“You’re really okay? Is someone with you—Ms. Potts?”

“Yeah, Pepper’s here, and so is my little Morguna. She got here last night. I’m still in Wakanda, Strange’s a pretty decent guy and brought her over.”

Peter blinked, his brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”

Tony sighed. “Right, I forgot you didn’t know. It’s been a crazy few years, Pete. Pepper and I finally got hitched, and I had—I had a little girl. Her name’s Morgan, and she's so much like her mother, it’s scary, except for her sleep patterns. That’s all me, I’m afraid.”

Peter opened his mouth, lips moving as he tried to find the words. “You—you and Ms. Potts got married? That’s amazing, Mr. Stark. Congratulations, and wow, a daughter. I bet you’re a great dad.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’m trying. I guess you could say I got a little practice with you.”

Peter felt something warm unfurl in his chest. “Oh, yeah, I guess—I mean, yeah, you were— _are_ —pretty good at that stuff. You always looked out for me.”

“And I always will, kid. I had a chance to look the other way. I was talking to Pepper about time travel. I’d figured it out, and I could have just stuck in a box and dropped it in the lake, but you know why I didn’t?”

“Why?”

“Because of you, Pete. I had to take the chance—the chance at having both my kids. Maybe I’m selfish. I don’t know. I just couldn’t—I couldn’t look the other way when there was a chance. I had to try, and I’m glad I did.”

Peter sat in stunned silence. He’d always hoped that he was important to Tony, but he’d doubted how much. Now there wasn’t any room for doubt. The man broke the rules to bring him back. He’d bent time and space.

“That’s—wow.”

Tony laughed. “Yeah, wow about covers it, so what are you and your aunt up to? I had an idea, that’s why I called. I wanted you to come visit, here, in Wakanda. Since saving the universe, Strange doesn’t seem to mind carting people around for me. So, what do you think, kiddo? You and your aunt up for a short jaunt through some science defying portals?”

Peter’s mouth hung open, and he blinked a few times before his brain reengaged. “Yeah—yeah, that would be good, really good. I should ask May, but I’m sure she would be up for it. When do we—when should we be ready?”

“Strange can bring you through any time. Like I said, Pep’s here, and so is Morgan. She knows all about you—the spider thing. I may have told her stories about her brother. You’re her favorite hero. I think even more so than her dad. She’s especially fond of your cat saving adventures.”

Peter swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yeah, I’m sure with you telling them they were more interesting than they really were, but I can’t blame her. Spider-man’s a pretty good guy.”

“That he is. Why don’t you go talk to your aunt, and then text me when you’re ready? I won’t tell Morgan you’re coming until it’s a sure thing.”

“Yeah, yeah, that sounds good. I’ll go do that. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Tony said his goodbyes, and then they disconnected. Clutching his phone, he went and found May in the kitchen, making quick work of an explanation, and an hour later, Peter was texting Tony that he was ready to go. May needed to stay behind, something about the hospital being overrun since everyone came back.

He had just so much as hit send when a sparkling orange circle spread out and opened in their living. On the other side of the portal, Peter could see the white walls and doors of what he assumed was the hospital.

Doctor Strange stepped through. “Peter, if you’re ready.” He gestured toward the portal.

May was looking wide-eyed at the spinning circle, she waved a finger between Doctor Strange and the orange circle. “Peter said you had a way to get him there. I didn’t realize—is it even safe to go through that?”

“It’s perfectly stable, I assure you.”

She eyed the portal, then turned to Peter, pulling him into a hug. “I know it’s ridiculous to say given all that’s happened, but you be careful, Peter. I can’t lose you again.”

Peter held her a little tighter, speaking against her hair. “You won’t. I’m not going anywhere—well, I’m going to Wakanda—but you know what I mean.”

She sniffled, drawing back, her hands on his arms. “Tell Stark I said thank you.”

“We should be going,” Strange said.

“I promise to come back.” He kissed her forehead, and she let him go.

Doctor Strange gestured to the circle, and Peter nodded, and with one last glance at May, he stepped through into a large, white room in Wakanda. Strange followed him, and then the portal closed.

“He’s through those doors,” Strange pointed at a set of doors to the right of the room.

“Yeah, I’ll just—I’ll go through there. Thank you for the portal and stuff. This was way faster than, like, taking a plane or something.”

“Or something, yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to meet with the king.” Strange turned with a flourish of his cape and went through a set of doors to the left.

Peter stood frozen for a moment, then made his feet move. His heart was in his throat as he paused in front of the doors. He wondered if he was supposed to knock. He raised his knuckles to the door, but a voice cut him off. He turned to see the girl from the battle, watching him.

“Peter, right? You’re the little spider from the battle. The boy with the gauntlet.”

“Yeah, that’s, uh, me, I guess. No, I mean, it is me. I’m spider-man.”

“And I am Shuri. It’s nice to meet you off the battlefield.”

Peter nodded, then looked back over his shoulder at the door. Tony was waiting on the other side. “I should probably—” He nodded toward the doors.

“He’s been waiting to see you, no need to knock.”

“Right, thank you.”

She nodded and then disappeared through the same doors Doctor Strange went through earlier. Peter turned back to Tony’s room and pushed the doors open, stepping inside. He didn’t know what to expect, though he knew Tony would be hurt. It didn’t make it any easier to see him, though.

He looked frail on the bed, against the stark white blanket and sheets. The skin of his neck was still charred and angry looking, his arm was missing, but that wasn’t what caught Peter’s eye. It was the little girl who was curled up on the bed, a mop of dark hair surrounding her head. Her feet were bare, and she was in pajamas with a cartoon rendition of the Hulk dotting them. She didn’t stir when Tony shifted, lifting his head to take in Peter. A smile spread across the man’s face, making wrinkles at the corner of his eyes.

“Hey,” Tony breathed, and Peter found himself moving toward the bed, his gaze darting between Tony and the little girl on the bed. Up close, he could see the relation. She looked so much like Tony.

“Hey, Mr. Stark, if now’s not a good time—” he gestured to the sleeping girl.

Tony shook his head with a little laugh. “Now’s just fine. She’s due to wake up soon anyway. Besides, she’d never forgive me if she missed a chance to meet her brother.”

Her brother, the words did something funny to his stomach. He looked back at Tony, and he knew tears were forming in his eyes. He couldn’t believe how close he had come to losing Tony, and now, seeing the little girl curled up the bed, he realized she could have lost her father, too. They were all lucky to still have him in their lives.

Tony shifted in the bed, nudging the little girl’s shoulder. She scrunched her face up and wiggled her toes before big brown eyes opened and latched onto Peter. A smile spread across her face, and she looked at Tony and then back to Peter. She pushed herself up.

“Are you—are you my brother?”

Peter blinked, looking at Tony and then back to the little girl. “Yeah, I guess I am. Are you Morgan?”

She nodded, looking serious for a moment. “Daddy said you were gone, but he brought you back.”

“Yeah, he did. Your daddy’s a hero.”

She considered. “Then so are you. Daddy says you saved cats.”

“Sometimes.” He started to smile a little.

She nodded her head. “You like juice pops?”

“Grape is my favorite,” Peter said, his smile growing. “What’s yours?”

“Red. I don’t like the yellow ones.”

Peter laughed. “I’ll try to remember that.”

Her mouth twisted, and her brow wrinkled in the same way Tony's did when he was working out a problem. “If your feet are sticky, how do you get your socks off?”

Tony started shaking in laughter, and Peter just stood there, looking at the precious bean that was Morgan and wondering how he ever existed without her. He nodded a few times, keeping his face sober as he answered, “Very carefully.”

She narrowed her eyes, considering him. She picked up her book from the bed and held it out. “Can you stick to this?”

Peter smiled, reaching out and sticking his palm to it, pulling away to show it clinging to his open hand. He gave it a shake to show it wasn’t going anywhere.

Seeming satisfied, she nodded. “You should meet Gerald. You can’t ride him, though. He doesn’t like it.”

Peter looked at Tony, setting the book back on the bed. “Gerald?”

“Alpaca.” Tony shrugged, wincing a little at the motion. “What can I say? I can’t say no to my kids. Though don’t get any ideas. Gerald is enough alpaca for one family.”

“Mommy pretends she doesn’t like him, but sometimes she sneaks him apples.” Morgan tilted her head, a line between her brows. “Can you teach me to catch bad guys?”

Peter’s brows went up and looked at Tony, who was subtly shaking his head. “Um … I’m not sure that’s really a good idea. Maybe I can teach you to do a cartwheel instead?”

Her lips pursed, and then she nodded. “Okay, deal, but when I get bigger, we can catch bad guys together and rescue cats! I want to save cats like you.”

Peter laughed. “We can definitely rescue some cats, maybe a dog or two, too.”

“Okay.” Morgan looked up at Tony and then carefully laid over him. Her father wrapped his arm around her. “Daddy, is he going to disappear again?” she spoke against his chest. “I don’t want him to go.”

Tony shook his head, looking at Peter. “No one is taking either of you away—not if I can help it.”

“So, we can keep him?” she asked.

“Yeah, we can keep him.”

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to hear from you in comments or on my [tumblr](https://snarky-drabbles.tumblr.com/) :)


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